Tension between a bonded pair

[Sam]

So my bunnies, Lady (spayed female) and Tramp (neutered male) bonded with no issues whatsoever. Tramp submitted to her right away and Lady has always been the dominant bunny. Lady got sick about month and a half ago with stasis but we were able to treat her at home, Tramp kissed and cuddled her the whole time, I didn’t and still don’t think that is related to this issue but thought it might be noteworthy. Well within the past two weeks there have been issues between the two of them. Tramp tried to hump her one day and she retaliated aggressively, pulling out some of his hair. I scolded her for taking things too far and although I didn’t discipline her (obviously)but I swear she knows English and didn’t want anything to do with me for a day or two. Well since then I’ve noticed that Lady does NOT want to come out of the condo and into the attached x-pen. She will for food and treats but doesn’t seem to want to cuddle with Tramp as much and definitely not in the x-pen (where the hair yanking incident happened). She also is uninterested in recieving pets in the x-pen but is totally fine with me coming into the condo to love on and pet her. I’m really worried that after almost a year worth of being bonded they are starting to have territory issues and that Tramp has decided to become dominant over the x-pen, leaving Lady to feel like she needs to stay in the condo. What do you guys think? And what can I do to fix this? I miss my little bunny girl coming out and being social!

[DanaNM]

Hmmm, bonded pairs can sometimes go through little rough spots. Have there been any changes in your home?

Her stasis episode certainly could have had something to do with it (or any lingering effects). My Bertha was previously bonded to Moose (he passed away due to serious medical issues), and they would have issues whenever he was not feeling good (particularly when he was having dental issues).

Did you ever figure out the cause of her stasis? Sometimes dental issues can cause stasis, and also cause changes which affect the bond. Given that Lady is also not coming out of her condo as much, she could be in some pain of some sort.

There are some things you can do to work on their bond, such as some marathon sessions in a neutral space, and stressing, but I think you should rule out any underlying medical issues with Lady first. Typically with any behavioral change in bunnies my first thought is that they are in pain of some sort, because they hide it so well. Pain can affect bonds, because maybe she doesn’t want to groom or be groomed as much, so Tramp is confused, or at least picking up on the change.

Do keep a close eye on them. If it seems like aggression is building between them and you see a decrease in positive behaviors (grooming, cuddling, etc.), you will need to separate (but keep them close to each other) unless you can supervise.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Author]

Messages